The Simple Changes
by MaddyLovesL
Summary: Chapter One of Fifty: 'I want to be remembered as the girl who could brighten your day even if she couldn't brighten her own.' IchiHime. Collection of drabbles.


"Kurosaki... Why do you try so hard to keep her close? At this rate she'll slip further and further away, and then what will you do?"

"I don't. She's just a friend."

"You're a bad liar. You're stupid for lying to yourself, and your selfish for holding on to her."

Ichigo was annoyed.

"I'm not holding on. I'm keeping watch. What would you feel if she disappeared again? How bad would I feel if she suddenly vanished again? Then all my efforts would have been for nothing."

Ishida sighed. It was fruitless.

"Ishida. I'm going to keep her safe."

"You can't."

"Did you know, Ishida the greatest revenge is to accomplish something everybody says you can't? So I'm going to go out and do it. You watch my back."

"Kurosaki... Protect from the monsters under her bed, from the evils in the skies, from the people who my harm her, but you can't protect her from herself. I bet you hadn't realized... I knew it."

**...**

Orihime was tired.

Life was exhausting, people were exhausting, work was exhausting, and losing someone she loved? Well, that was exhausting too.

Ichigo had gone. Somewhere.

He often did this.

Left.

Came back.

Smiled.

Moped.

Sulked.

Smiled.

Left.

It was a cruel cycle, involving a lot of heartburn and anger directed towards herself.

Sometimes he would turn up during school.

Sometimes she would see him in the rain.

Sometimes she would see him at her window.

And sometimes she saw him during those strange times during sleeping and waking.

That was worst.

Seeing him. Unable to wake. Unable to sleep. Like being in a coma.

The silence in her apartment was loud.

It hung there, like the cracks in their conversations. Reminding them both of on top of the dome. Reminding them of his monster. Reminding them of her terror.

They never spoke of it.

Abnd then one day he stopped showing up.

And then he did.

And then he didn't.

"Inoue."

And now he did.

"Kurosaki-kun."

Again at her window. Always.

"Would you like tea?"

Ichigo nodded. His hair dripped with moisture.

Red moisture.

Orihime never asked.

His fingers were curled around a cup, seeking warmth, she had covered him up in a blanket, dried his hair, and dabbed his wounds.

This was her routine.

He sipped.

This was his routine.

And the words lingered, trickled like quick sand. Hung in the air.

"Inoue..."

"Kurosaki-kun."

He looked up.

His eyes glistened.

"I want to say something. Maybe it should have been said ages ago. Maybe. But... Orihime."

Orhime's eyes widened in suprise at the use of her first name.

"I want you to know, that I'm not going to Soul Society. I'm not always seeing Renji... Rukia..." Her name stung Orihime like a wasp might on a Summer's day "... I... I'm out there. I'm protecting you. Forever. Because Orihime... You're the princess, and maybe I'm the dragon. Or maybe I'm the prince. Who knows? But you're still the princess. From the sky. And you should be allowed to shine in peace. Without monsters coming to harm you, coming to take your light and stick it firmly on Earth."

Orihime didn't know what to say. How could she. Rukia's name still lingered on her skin, like salt water. It clouded her thoughts.

She had always been so lovely.

"Kurosaki-kun... You shouldn't... Shouldn't do this. Not for me. Kuchiki-san... She needs it. Not me, I'm totally fine. Honestly."

Ichigo scowled. He tried not to mind the 'Kurosaki-kun'.

"Orihime... You're always waiting for others to notice you're not good enough. And we're all waiting for you to realize you are."

Orihime's mind spun.

"Neh... Kurosaki-kun. I told you... On the night I left I told you how much I loved you."

Ichigo's head spun this time. His world spiralled.

"I told you how many things I wanted to do. What I wanted to do. But Kurosaki-kun... I want to tell you now, how I want to be remembered. I would like to be remembered as the girl who could smile through everything. The girl who smiled when her heart it broke. The girl who was able to lighten up your day, even though she never took the time to lighten up her own. Maybe it's selfish. But Kurosaki-kun... I only want to lighten up your world. I know that Kuchiki-san. She stopped your rain. But.. I wanted to be the one to stop your pain."

Ichigo's world was crshing aorund his ears. If only... If only he had known.

"But.. I've always increased your pain, no matter what I do. I try. I try. I just want you to know, that I do try. And I'm sorry. I'm sorry for the pain I've caused you."

_'And people have the nerve to tell me _they're _lonely. Had they seen her?'_

"Orihime. You are the girl. You are the girl who smiles. The girl who shines. The girl who can soar through the rain, dance with it, and smile, can stop my pain... Because I'm letting you in."

And then...

Ichigo's mouth was getting closer.

His ips were chapped.

Orihime didn't mind.

After all, life was short, you really did have to enjoy every moment of it.

And just like that, the words vanished. The lingering words were said in a kiss.

And Ichigo's pain.

It stopped.

And he had saved her.

You see Ishida, I told you so.

Revenge comes in the form of Orihime's lips.

They are soft, and taste like dark cherries.

And he loves them.


End file.
